


even if everyone laughs because it's a dream

by i_was_human



Category: Lost in Translation (Webcomic)
Genre: Animal Transformation, Crack, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Gen, No beta we die like mne, mayhem are friends because I Say So, minsoo: a small ball of fury, possible future ot4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:35:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26952997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_was_human/pseuds/i_was_human
Summary: Once he arrives back to the dorm, the first thing he sees is a hamster flying through the air.What?He catches the hamster in his palms, and the small creature squeaks at him a few times, seemingly irritated.What?A meow rings through the air, and Jaewon's gaze drifts to the large cat from before, eyes widening as he catches sight of a baby chicken sitting on top of its head."What?" he breathes, and the cat strolls forwards, taking a seat at his feet and blinking lazily at him.What is happening?
Relationships: Ahn Jaewon | Wyld & Kang Dongho | D.Min & Kim Daehyun & Lee Minsoo
Comments: 3
Kudos: 38





	even if everyone laughs because it's a dream

When Jaewon opens his eyes, he realizes two things in perfect tandem.

Number one: he's three hours late to dance practice.

Number two: something is chirping.

He jolts out of bed, completely ignoring the chirping, and yanks off his sleep shirt, changing into his workout clothes in less than two minutes.

The chirping _has not stopped_.

For that matter, where is Minsoo? The leader isn't one to let _anyone_ sleep through dance practice, and that's only been exacerbated by their dorm. 

Jaewon stumbles towards the kitchen, grabbing a granola bar and stuffing it in his mouth as he pulls on his shoes. The chirping has been joined by squeaking, but whatever it is doesn't particularly matter, since Minsoo is going to _murder him_ -

a paw baps his nose.

Jaewon turns, gaze landing on a fluffy black cat, and he blinks.

What the fuck?

Okay, this cat is fucking _huge_ , but that doesn't matter, because Minsoo's going to _skin him alive_. 

"Bye!" he gasps, reaching over to scratch the cat's head before he races out the door.

Oh boy, he's so dead.

He manages to sprint to the company in fifteen minutes, and once he arrives, he has to take a moment to catch his breath. Just a moment - Minsoo hasn't blown up his phone yet, which is a _goddamn miracle_ \- and then he sprints up the stairs, bursting into the dance studio and promptly falling flat on his face.

By the time he recovers, he's aware enough to recognize that _no, nobody else is here_ , which-

what?

Did he get the date wrong?

"Oh, Jaewon-ah?"

One of their managers leans into the room, visibly bewildered. "Have you seen the others today?"

"No?" 

"Ah. Well, they didn't show up for practice, so I guess you have the day off while we figure out where they are."

Jaewon stares at him, bewildered, and the manager shrugs. "We'll call you once we figure it out, okay?"

* * *

Once he arrives back to the dorm, the first thing he sees is a hamster flying through the air.

 _What_?

He catches the hamster in his palms, and the small creature squeaks at him a few times, seemingly irritated.

What?

A meow rings through the air, and Jaewon's gaze drifts to the large cat from before, eyes widening as he catches sight of a _baby chicken_ sitting on top of its head.

"What?" he breathes, and the cat strolls forwards, taking a seat at his feet and blinking lazily at him. 

What?

The hamster squeaks at him again, and Jaewon sighs, bending down to place the hamster on the floor. The rodent immediately squeaks at him, and the cat strolls forwards, sniffing its head before whacking it with one paw.

Wait- cats eat small animals, don't they?

But the _chick_ is riding the cat just fine, so... maybe this is just a weird cat?

"Where did you come from?" Jaewon asks, crouching down to stare at the motley trio. "Where'd you come from, huh?"

The cat stares at him, visibly unimpressed, and Jaewon reaches out to scratch its head with one finger.

"Well... if you're gonna stay here, I gotta get some things for you."

The hamster squeaks once more, and Jaewon yelps as it wriggles up his sleeve, eventually perching in the hood of his jacket.

Well. 

"Can you take care of..."

He stares at the chick for a moment, ideas whirling through his mind, and he eventually just goes with the only logical choice.

"...Jae, for me?"

The cat stares at him, thoroughly unimpressed, and the chick - Jae - chirps, nuzzling into the cat's long fur.

Well. 

That's an endorsement, at least.

"Alright, Pixie," Jaewon grins, plucking the hamster from his hood and placing it in his palm. "Let's get you guys some stuff, yeah?"

* * *

Honestly, Jaewon has no idea if Mocha is a girl or a boy cat.

Jae and Pixie both seem to be boys, but Mocha is a total mystery to him. 

It's this fact that has him agonizing over collars for close to ten minutes while Pixie squeaks in his hood, occasionally opting to nibble his ear as a way to tell him to _hurry up_.

"Do you think Mocha would like this one?" Jaewon asks, picking up a pink one with a bow. "I don't wanna get them a plain collar, because they're so regal, but I don't wanna get them a frilly collar if they're a boy-"

Pixie bites his ear once more, and Jaewon opts to just grab a plain bell collar and be done with it.

The checkout lady looks at him weirdly once she catches sight of the hamster sitting in his hood, but once Pixie starts squeaking, Jaewon places the tiny hamster in his pocket, stroking his head with one finger as he helps bag things with his free hand. 

Pixie insists on riding in his hood on the walk back to the dorms, and Jaewon would be much happier about this if he had any of his hands free to catch the tiny animal if he happened to fall. Of course, though, cats take a lot of stuff, so he just ends up hoping that Pixie is actually invulnerable and just... a very smart hamster.

By the time they make it home, Mocha's sitting by the door, tail lashing and Jae sitting on their head, and Jaewon gives them a small smile as he places the bag on the table. 

"How was your day, Mocha-yah?"

Somehow, Mocha seems even less impressed than before.

Jaewon spends the next thirty-odd minutes unpacking things, during which Jae and Pixie are generally unhelpful, and Mocha only really intervenes to drag one of them out from underfoot. By the time the clock hits six, things are finally set up, and Jaewon collapses into the cushions, pulling out his phone and opening his group chat with the others.

Still nothing.

He fires off a quick text - _"where are you guys?"_ \- and his blood runs cold as a text chime rings through the air.

Minsoo's phone. 

Minsoo doesn't go anywhere without his phone.

Where are they?

* * *

Mocha is a _weird cat_.

So far today, they've spent around fifteen minutes licking Jae clean after the chicken waddled under the t.v. stand, spent another half hour just making sure Pixie didn't break anything with his hamster ball, and spent the rest of it curled up in Dongho's bed, their tail over their eyes and chest slowly rising and falling. 

What a weird cat.

Jae, on the other hand, seems to have found a home in Jaewon's hoodie, and he's currently napping in the pouch, beak poking out the side and fluffy form barely visible through the fabric. Occasionally, he'll squeak for pets, and Jaewon is happy to oblige, reaching down to stroke his head and lull the chick back to sleep.

Pixie, though.

Jaewon's almost certain Pixie's broken all of their plates with the speeds he's reaching, and he keeps having to pull the hamster ball out from whatever odd places Pixie's reached.

He _should_ put him in his cage. 

By the time the night rolls around, there's still no word from the managers, so Jaewon scoops up Pixie and puts him in his cage, ignoring the hamster's indignant squeaks as he places Jae and Mocha on the bed next to him.

At least with Jae, he doesn't have to worry about _sudden death_ in his sleep.

"I'll give you your collar tomorrow," he promises Mocha, and the cat looks stunningly unimpressed. "Sleep well, Mocha-yah, Jae-yah, Pixie-yah."

Pixie lets out a loud squeak of protest, and Mocha hisses in his direction before wrapping their tail around Jae, the chick nearly disappearing in their dark fur.

Cute.

Jaewon drifts off with Mocha pressed to his side and Pixie's squeaks ringing through the air, and in that moment, he doesn't think he's ever been calmer.

* * *

Of course, the next morning dawns with no word on his groupmates.

At this point, Jaewon's really starting to get worried. Dongho he can see disappearing without a trace, but Minsoo, and even more so Daehyun would _at least_ leave a note. 

He puts on one of Daehyun's favorite songs while he cooks breakfast - some girl group's song - and he's only slightly surprised when Mocha hops up on the counter, bobbing their head to the beat. 

"Do you like this song?" he asks, and Mocha does something Jaewon's willing to interpret as a nod. 

Huh.

What a weird cat.

"You wanna be a princess like the song?" he teases, and Mocha stares at him, tail flicking to the beat.

Well.

"Lovely girl," he coos, and Mocha looks like they - she? - want to laugh.

A chirp rings through the air, and Jaewon turns, gaze landing on a tiny ball of fluff.

Cute.

"Hey, Jae!" he beams, and Jae hops forwards, a few chirps escaping his mouth. "Aww..."

He bends down, scooping Jae into his hands, and Jae chirps once more, dark eyes boring into his. "Aww, you are cute!"

Mocha snorts, tail lashing, and Jae lets out a plaintive chirp, dark eyes welling with emotion.

Before Jaewon can second-guess himself, he bends down to press a gentle kiss to the baby chick's head, and-

_Poof!_

-promptly finds himself with an armful of Kim Daehyun.

He falls to the floor with a shriek, and Daehyun lands on top of him, hands planting on either side of his head and eyes wide.

God, is this a bad anime or something?

"Dae?" he squeaks, and Daehyun beams, pushing back his hood.

He's wearing a fluffy golden hoodie, the rational part of Jaewon's brain registers - a hoodie that looks like chick down.

What?

"You did it!" Daehyun beams, and Jaewon does the only rational thing to do.

He passes the fuck out.

* * *

When he opens his eyes, there's a warm weight on his chest.

 _"Prrow!"_ Mocha meows, leaning in to bap his nose, and Jaewon groans, gaze straying to the door.

"Wha...?"

"You're awake!" Daehyun beams, and Jaewon stares at him - first at the sweatpants slung low on his waist, and then at the fluffy hoodie he's wearing.

What?

"What happened?"

"Well," Daehyun states, placing a bowl on the side table, "I was the chicken!"

"...what?"

"I was the chicken!" Daehyun repeats, and Jaewon stares at him.

_"What?"_

His gaze strays to the cat on his lap, and then to the squeaking hamster in the cage, and horror shoots down his spine.

"Then-"

"Yeah," Daehyun laughs, rubbing the back of his neck. "Minsoo is... not happy about this."

"I thought he was a girl," Jaewon breathes, hand hovering over Mocha - Dongho's - head before the cat headbutts his palm. "Oh my god, hyung, I'm so sorry-"

Dongho swats his nose, and Jaewon withdraws his hand, only for Dongho to headbutt him once again.

Weird cat.

"Minsoo wants you to turn him back to normal," Daehyun laughs, gesturing to the hamster. "But you have to eat first! I don't want you passing out again!"

Jaewon nods, opting to do as he's told.

* * *

The second time goes just as well as the first.

One moment, Jaewon's holding a tiny hamster in his hands, and the next, Minsoo's sitting on top of him, clad in a fluffy hoodie and sporting an impish grin.

"Hyung!" Daehyun shrieks, and Minsoo laughs, leaning in to press a quick kiss to Jaewon's hair before rolling off.

Which-

 _what_?

"What?" Jaewon squeaks, and Minsoo shrugs.

"Returning the favor!"

Dongho yawns on the windowsill, and Minsoo grins, darting over to scoop the cat into his arms.

_"Rrow!"_

"Hyung!" Daehyun shrieks, and Minsoo tosses Dongho into the air, ignoring the way the cat flails for purchase.

"See? He likes it! I can carry him!"

Dongho digs his claws into Minsoo's arm, clutching onto him like a koala, and Minsoo frowns, staring at the maine coon hanging from his arm.

"Hm. Hyung, can you let go?"

Dongho hisses at him, and Minsoo frowns, leaning in to poke his nose.

"That's rude."

"Dongho-hyung is a cat," Jaewon breathes, staring at the pair. "Dongho-hyung is a cat, and Minsoo-hyung is tossing him around like he's bread."

"Yep!" Daehyun chirps, collecting the dishes and heading for the kitchen. "Isn't it great?"

* * *

For some reason, Dongho opts to sleep on his pillow.

Maybe he's used to it. Maybe it's a cat thing. Jaewon doesn't really know.

All he _does_ know is that when he goes to sleep, there's a cat next to him, and when he wakes up, he's caged in strong arms. 

Huh.

He opens his eyes, gaze immediately meeting a fluffy hoodie, and he looks up, gaze landing on a cat collar.

What?

"Look," someone hisses, and Jaewon tries to turn, only for Dongho's arms to trap him in place. "Hyung, hyung, get the camera-"

What is his _life_?

Dongho sighs, pulling him even closer, and Jaewon freezes as the small bell jingles, hoping against hope that it won't wake the eldest.

"Help?" he whispers, and Minsoo laughs.

"Nope! Say cheese, Jaewon-ah!"

As the camera clicks, Dongho groans, reaching over to toss Jaewon's phone at their heads, and Jaewon blinks, reaching up to stare at him.

"Do you want me to leave?"

"Let them take them," Dongho simply replies, a hint of teasing in his voice. "I'm the one who has photos of the time Minsoo did his own makeup and the time Daehyun got chased down the street by an angry _ajumma_ for busking in front of her store."

"You _what_?"

**Author's Note:**

> omake: 
> 
> "Jaewon-ah?" Minsoo asks, leaning over to stare into the kitchen. "Hyung, have you seen Jaewon-ah?"
> 
> "No," Dongho simply replies, taking another sip from his coffee. "Ask Dae-yah."
> 
> "Hyungs!"
> 
> Daehyun bursts into the room, a bright red bunny in his arms, and for a solid minute, all they can do is stare.
> 
> "Well," Dongho finally states, "I guess it's a good thing we kept the pet stuff."
> 
> dedicated to all the folks in the lit fic discord who helped with this idea :D
> 
> fic title from ateez's utopia
> 
> [twit](https://twitter.com/i_was_human_) | [lit fic discord!](https://discord.gg/CNunB74)


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